U.S. patent application number 14/752503 was filed with the patent office on 2015-10-15 for personal content distribution network.
The applicant listed for this patent is TiVo Inc.. Invention is credited to James Barton.
Application Number | 20150296256 14/752503 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39184265 |
Filed Date | 2015-10-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150296256 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Barton; James |
October 15, 2015 |
PERSONAL CONTENT DISTRIBUTION NETWORK
Abstract
Techniques for making content available to a DVR are described.
Content encoded in any encoding format may be automatically
transcoded, on a computer, into an encoding format that a DVR is
configured to decode. The transcoded content is automatically sent
over a LAN from the computer to the DVR. The DVR receives the
transcoded content, stores the transcoded content, and indicates,
through a user interface, that the content is available for
viewing. A transcoding agent executing on the computer may
automatically and periodically transcode, into an encoding format
that the DVR is configured to decode, content that is contained in
one folder, and move the transcoded content from that folder into
another folder. The computer may send, to the DVR, instructions
which cause the DVR to request transcoded content that is in the
latter folder. The computer sends transcoded content to the DVR in
response to such a request.
Inventors: |
Barton; James; (Alviso,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TiVo Inc. |
Alviso |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
39184265 |
Appl. No.: |
14/752503 |
Filed: |
June 26, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11519717 |
Sep 11, 2006 |
9100702 |
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14752503 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
725/92 ;
725/93 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 5/76 20130101; H04N
21/2183 20130101; H04N 21/4334 20130101; H04N 21/43615 20130101;
H04N 21/440245 20130101; H04N 21/472 20130101; H04N 9/8042
20130101; H04N 21/440218 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04N 21/4402 20060101
H04N021/4402; H04N 9/804 20060101 H04N009/804; H04N 21/433 20060101
H04N021/433; H04N 21/2183 20060101 H04N021/2183; H04N 5/76 20060101
H04N005/76; H04N 21/472 20060101 H04N021/472; H04N 21/436 20060101
H04N021/436 |
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method for making content available to a
multimedia device on demand, the method comprising: while
downloading content that is encoded in a first encoding format that
the multimedia device is not configured to decode to a first device
from a site that is remote from the first device, the first device
performing: automatically transcoding first portions of the content
already received at the first device into a second encoding format
which the multimedia device is configured to decode; after
automatically transcoding the first portion of the content, sending
an instruction to the multimedia device, the instruction informing
the multimedia device that the content in the second encoding
format is available for the multimedia device to request for the
content; and in response to requesting for the content by the
multimedia device, as second portions of the content are being
downloaded to the first device and are being transcoded from the
first encoding format to the second encoding format, sending, to
the multimedia device, the first portions of the content that have
been transcoded at the first device.
2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said content is
specified in the request by the multimedia device.
3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said content is
specified via a web page that is provided by a service that
communicates with said first device.
4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: storing a
transcoded version of the content in a cache at the first device;
in response to a request for the content, determining whether the
content is stored in the cache; and in response to determining that
the content is stored in the cache, sending the content from the
cache to the multimedia device.
5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying
instructions which, when executed by one or more processors,
instruct the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:
while downloading content that is encoded in a first encoding
format that a multimedia device is not configured to decode to a
first device from a site that is remote from the first device, the
first device performing: automatically transcoding first portions
of the content already received at the first device into a second
encoding format which the multimedia device is configured to
decode; after automatically transcoding the first portion of the
content, sending an instruction to the multimedia device, the
instruction informing the multimedia device that the content in the
second encoding format is available for the multimedia device to
request for the content; and in response to requesting for the
content by the multimedia device, as second portions of the content
are being downloaded to the first device and are being transcoded
from the first encoding format to the second encoding format,
sending, to the multimedia device, the first portions of the
content that have been transcoded at the first device.
6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in
claim 5, wherein said content is specified by the multimedia
device.
7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in
claim 5, wherein said content is specified via a web page that is
provided by a service that communicates with said first device.
8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein
the instructions further comprise: storing a transcoded version of
the content in a cache at the first device; in response to a
request for the content, determining whether the content is stored
in the cache; and in response to determining that the content is
stored in the cache, sending the content from the cache to the
multimedia device.
9. A computer-implemented method for transcoding content, the
method comprising: in response to receiving a specified type of tag
in a web page by a browser, performing: the browser starting
executing, at a first device, a browser plug-in configured to
obtain an URL from a site that refers to content that is stored at
the site, the URL being obfuscated so that only the browser plug-in
is allowed to obtain the URL from the site; the browser plug-in, as
executed by the browser, performing a transaction that obtains,
from the site, the URL that refers to the content that is stored at
the site; downloading, to the first device, the content to which
the URL refers; transcoding, at the first device, the content to
which the URL refers from a first encoding format which a
multimedia device is not configured to decode to a second encoding
format which the multimedia device is configured decode.
10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising: after
transcoding the content to which the URL refers, transferring the
transcoded content from the first device to the multimedia
device.
11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the steps of
downloading and transcoding are performed in response to the first
device's receipt, from the multimedia device, of the request for
the content, and wherein the request for the content is made by the
multimedia device after the first device sends an instruction
informing that the content is available for the multimedia device
to request.
12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying
instructions which, when executed by one or more processors,
instruct the one or more processors to perform steps comprising: in
response to receiving a specified type of tag in a web page by a
browser, performing: the browser starting executing, at a first
device, a browser plug-in configured to obtain an URL from a site
that refers to content that is stored at the site, the URL being
obfuscated so that only the browser plug-in is allowed to obtain
the URL from the site; the browser plug-in, as executed by the
browser, performing a transaction that obtains, from the site, the
URL that refers to the content that is stored at the site;
downloading, to the first device, the content to which the URL
refers; transcoding, at the first device, the content to which the
URL refers from a first encoding format which a multimedia device
is not configured to decode to a second encoding format which the
multimedia device is configured decode.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim
12, wherein the steps further comprise: after transcoding the
content to which the URL refers, transferring the transcoded
content from the first device to the multimedia device.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12,
wherein the steps of downloading and transcoding are performed in
response to the first device's receipt, from the multimedia device,
of the request for the content, and wherein the request for the
content is made by the multimedia device after the first device
sends an instruction informing that the content is available for
the multimedia device to request.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims benefit as a Continuation of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/519,717, filed Sep. 11, 2006, which
is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
The applicant(s) hereby rescind any disclaimer of claim scope in
the parent application(s) or the prosecution history thereof and
advise the USPTO that the claims in this application may be broader
than any claim in the parent application(s).
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to digital video recorders
(DVRs).
BACKGROUND
[0003] The approaches described in this section could be pursued,
but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously
conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein,
the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the
claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by
inclusion in this section.
[0004] The introduction of the digital video recorder (DVR) to the
consumer world has revolutionized the way viewers watch and record
television programs. DVRs eliminate many of the complications of
VCRs and the need for video tapes. DVRs record television programs
on a hard drive that is capable of storing a large number of
television programs. Because DVRs are usually box-like in shape,
and are often found sitting on top of the television sets to which
they are connected, DVRs typically are included in the broad
category of devices now called "set-top boxes." Much like VCRs,
DVRs receive one or more television signals as input from cables or
satellite dishes, (or, in some cases, unlike VCRs, from broadband
network connections) and also output television signals to a
television set or other display.
[0005] DVRs are becoming as widespread in homes as personal
computers have become. In fact, many homes now contain several
devices, such as computers and DVRs, which are connected
(physically or wirelessly) to local area networks (LANs) for those
homes. Devices that are connected to the same LAN can send
information to and receive information from each other. A LAN may
be connected to the Internet. Through a LAN's internet connection,
devices that are connected to the LAN can send information to and
receive information from other devices that are connected to the
Internet. LAN-connected DVRs can send information to and receive
information from other devices on the LAN, including computers. If
the LAN to which the DVR is connected is also connected to the
Internet, then the DVR can send information to, and receive
information from, other devices that are connected to the
Internet.
[0006] Because some encoding formats provide better compression
than other encoding formats, and because DVRs' storage space is
limited, DVRs are often configured to decode only content that has
been encoded according to one of a specified set of encoding
formats. For example, a particular type of DVR might be configured
to decode only content that has been encoded according to the
MPEG-2 encoding format. Some content that is available through the
Internet might be in an encoding format that a DVR has not been
configured to decode. A DVR's inability to decode content that has
been encoded according to some popular encoding formats
detrimentally limits the amount of Internet-available content that
the DVR can receive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and
not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying
drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar
elements and in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram that illustrates a system in which
Internet-available content may be delivered to a DVR in an
automated manner, according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that illustrates the steps of a
technique for automatically transcoding content on behalf of a DVR,
according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0010] FIGS. 3A and 3B are flow diagrams that illustrate the steps
of techniques for automatically delivering content from a computer
to a DVR that is connected to a LAN to which the computer is
connected, according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system on which embodiments
of the invention may be implemented; and
[0012] FIG. 5 is a block diagram that shows an example of the
internal structure and operation of a DVR, according to an
embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] In the following description, for the purposes of
explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to
provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will
be apparent, however, that the present invention may be practiced
without these specific details. In other instances, well-known
structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to
avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention.
[0014] In the following discussion, in references to the drawings
like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.
[0015] Embodiments are described herein according to the following
outline:
TABLE-US-00001 1.0 General Overview 2.0 System Structural Overview
3.0 Example Techniques 4.0 On-Demand Transcoding 5.0 Example DVR
6.0 Implementation Mechanisms--Hardware Overview
1.0 General Overview
[0016] One highly popular type of DVR employs multiple techniques
for sending content (such as a stored television program) to a
computer and receiving content from a computer that is connected to
the same LAN to which the DVR is connected. According to a
technique used by this type of DVR, an application program
(referred to hereafter simply as an "application") executes on the
computer. A user can instruct the application to request, from the
DVR, content that is stored on the DVR. In response to receiving
such a request, the DVR sends the requested content over the LAN to
the computer, which stores the content. Additionally, a user can
instruct the DVR to request, from the computer, content that is
stored on the computer. In response to receiving such a request,
the application sends the requested content over the LAN to the
DVR, which stores the content.
[0017] According to another technique used by this type of DVR, an
authorized "service endpoint," which usually is controlled by an
organization from which the DVR obtains program guide information,
sends an instruction to the DVR via the Internet. The instruction
includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) chosen by the authorized
service endpoint. In response to receiving such an instruction from
the authorized service endpoint, the DVR sends a request over the
Internet to a server that is associated with the URL. The request
asks the server to send, to the DVR, content that is identified by
the URL. Usually, in response to such a request, the server will
send the requested content to the DVR over the Internet. The DVR
receives and stores the content. Subsequently, the DVR may
indicate, through a user interface that the DVR displays to a user,
that the content is available for viewing. In this manner, the
authorized service endpoint may cause the DVR to provide specified
content that is available through the Internet.
[0018] According to one embodiment of the invention, content (e.g.,
video) that is encoded in any encoding format is automatically
transcoded, on a computer, into an encoding format that a DVR is
configured to decode. The transcoded content is automatically sent
from the computer, over a LAN to which both the computer and the
DVR are connected (physically or wirelessly), to the DVR. The DVR
receives the transcoded content, stores the transcoded content, and
indicates, through a user interface, that the content is available
for viewing at the DVR user's leisure. Thus, Internet-available
content that is encoded in a native format that the DVR is not
capable of understanding may be automatically downloaded and
transcoded into an encoding format that the DVR is capable of
understanding, thereby increasing the quantum of content that the
DVR can obtain from the Internet and present to a user.
[0019] According to one embodiment of the invention, a transcoding
agent executes on the computer discussed above. The transcoding
agent automatically and periodically determines whether any content
has been added to a "native format" folder on the computer's hard
drive since the last time that the transcoding agent made such a
determination. In response to determining that content has been
added to the native format folder since the last time, the
transcoding agent determines whether the content is encoded in an
encoding format that the DVR is configured to decode. In response
to determining that the content is encoded in an encoding format
that the DVR is configured to decode, the transcoding agent moves
the content from the native format folder into a "DVR format"
folder on the computer's hard drive. Alternatively, in response to
determining that the content is not encoded in an encoding format
that the DVR is configured to decode, the transcoding agent
transcodes the content into an encoding format that the DVR is
configured to decode, as discussed above, and then moves the
transcoded content from the native format folder into the DVR
format folder.
[0020] Content may be added to the native format folder in a
variety of ways. For example, a user of the computer may move
content into the native format folder from some other location on
the computer's hard drive. For another example, a process executing
on the computer may automatically download content from a source on
the Internet (e.g., content from a site to which the process
"subscribes"). The process may be configured to store all
downloaded content, in the content's native encoding format, in the
native format folder.
[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, a "personal
delivery content" application also executes on the computer
discussed above. The personal delivery content application
automatically and periodically determines whether any content has
been added to the DVR format folder since the last time that the
application made such a determination. In response to determining
that content has been added to the DVR format folder since the last
time that the personal delivery content application checked, the
application generates an instruction and sends the instruction over
the LAN to the DVR. The instruction contains a URL that identifies
both the computer (e.g., via the computer's IP address) and the
content that was added to the DVR format folder.
[0022] According to one embodiment of the invention, in response to
receiving such an instruction, the DVR places the instruction in a
queue. The DVR removes instructions from the queue and requests
(e.g., via Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests sent over a
LAN and/or the Internet) the content specified in the instructions'
URLs from the sources specified in the instructions' URLs. The DVR
receives responses (e.g., HTTP responses) that contain the
specified content. The DVR stores the received content as discussed
above.
[0023] Embodiments of the invention summarized above are described
below in greater detail, along with some alternative embodiments of
the invention.
2.0 System Structural Overview
[0024] FIG. 1 is a block diagram that illustrates a system in which
Internet-available content may be delivered to a DVR in an
automated manner, according to one embodiment of the invention. The
system comprises a DVR 102 (such as is described with reference to
FIG. 5 below) and a personal computer 104 (such as is described
with reference to FIG. 4 below). DVR 102 communicates with personal
computer 104 through a LAN 106. LAN 106 is connected (e.g., through
a network router) to the Internet 108. Also connected to Internet
108 are a content delivery service endpoint 110 and a content
server 112.
[0025] In one embodiment of the invention, content delivery service
endpoint 110 is configured to send instructions toward DVR 102 over
Internet 108 and LAN 106. Content delivery service endpoint 110 may
comprise a computer on which executes a process that sends such
instructions, for example. According to one embodiment of the
invention, each instruction comprises a URL.
[0026] In one embodiment of the invention, content server 112 is
associated with a URL. Content server 112 may comprise an HTTP
server that (i) listens for Hypertext Transfer Protocol requests
received through Internet 108 and (ii) responds to such HTTP
requests by sending HTTP responses over Internet 108 toward the
sources of those HTTP requests. The HTTP requests may specify
content that the requestor desires, and the corresponding HTTP
responses may contain the desired content, which is stored on
content server 112. Such content may comprise encoded video
content, for example.
[0027] In one embodiment of the invention, DVR 102 is configured to
listen for and receive, through Internet 108 and LAN 106,
instructions sent from content delivery service endpoint 110. DVR
102 is configured to store such instructions in a queue 122 that
DVR 102 maintains. DVR 102 is configured to remove an instruction
from the front of queue 122, determine a URL that the instruction
specifies, and send, toward a content server or other device that
is associated with that URL, an HTTP request for content that the
URL specifies. DVR 102 is configured to listen for and receive an
HTTP response to such an HTTP request. DVR 102 is configured to
store content that is contained in such an HTTP response. DVR 102
is configured to indicate, through a user interface, that the
stored content is available for viewing by a user.
[0028] In one embodiment of the invention, personal computer 104
comprises a native format folder 116. Native format folder 116 may
contain encoded content that is encoded in an encoding format that
DVR 102 is not configured to decode, for example. Native format
folder 116 may be a directory for a file system that is stored on a
hard drive of personal computer 104, for example.
[0029] In one embodiment of the invention, personal computer 104
additionally comprises a transcoding agent 118 that periodically
and automatically removes encoded content from native format folder
116, transcodes the removed content into a specified encoding
format that DVR 102 is configured to decode, and stores the
transcoded content into a DVR format folder 120. Transcoding agent
118 is configured to perform these actions relative to each encoded
content item that appears in native format folder 116 without being
separately instructed to do so by a human for each such encoded
content item. Transcoding agent 118 may be a process that executes
on personal computer 104, for example. DVR format folder 120 may be
a directory of a file system that is stored on a hard drive of
personal computer 104, for example.
[0030] In one embodiment of the invention, personal computer 104
additionally comprises a personal content delivery application 114
that periodically and automatically determines whether any content
has been placed in DVR format folder 120 since the last time that
personal content delivery application 114 made that determination.
In response to a determination that such content has been placed in
DVR format folder 120, personal content delivery application 114 is
configured to generate an instruction that contains a URL that
identifies (i) an Internet Protocol (IP) address of personal
computer 104 and (ii) a filename and path that is associated with
the content that has been placed in DVR format folder 120. Personal
content delivery application 114 is configured to send such an
instruction over LAN 106 to DVR 102.
[0031] In one embodiment of the invention, personal computer 104
additionally comprises an HTTP server (not shown) that (i) listens
for Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests received through
LAN 106 and (ii) responds to such HTTP requests by sending HTTP
responses over LAN 106 toward the sources of those HTTP requests.
Such an HTTP server may be a part of, or separate from, personal
content delivery application 114.
[0032] In one embodiment of the invention, DVR 102 is configured to
handle instructions received from personal content delivery
application 114 in a manner similar to the way that DVR 102 is
configured to handle instructions received from content delivery
service endpoint 110. DVR 102 is configured to listen for and
receive, through LAN 106, instructions sent from personal content
delivery application 114. DVR 102 is configured to store such
instructions in queue 122. DVR 102 is configured to remove such an
instruction from the front of queue 122, determine a URL that the
instruction specifies--in this case, a URL associated with personal
computer 104 rather than another content server--and send, toward
personal computer 104, an HTTP request for content that the URL
specifies. DVR 102 is configured to listen for and receive an HTTP
response to such an HTTP request. DVR 102 is configured to store
content that is contained in such an HTTP response. DVR 102 is
configured to indicate, through a user interface, that the stored
content is available for viewing by a user.
3.0 Example Techniques
[0033] According to one embodiment of the invention, personal
computer 104 automatically downloads content that is available at
an Internet site (e.g., at content server 112) via Internet 108 and
LAN 106. After personal computer 104 has downloaded the content,
personal computer 104 automatically transcodes the content into an
encoding format that DVR 102 can understand. After the content has
been transcoded, personal computer 104 sends, to DVR 102, an
instruction that causes DVR 102 to download the transcoded content
from personal computer 104. Thereafter, DVR 102 can present the
stored content to a user at the user's leisure.
[0034] For example, a user might configure an application executing
on personal computer 104 to "subscribe" to "www.youtube.com." Due
to this subscription, personal computer 104 might periodically and
automatically download, from "www.youtube.com," one or more new
video files that have become available at that site since the last
time that personal computer 104 checked that site. One or more of
the downloaded files might be encoded in H.263, H.264, DivX, Real,
Flash, etc. DVR 102 might not understand these encoding formats.
Therefore, after downloading the files, personal computer 104 might
automatically transcode those of the files that are in an encoding
format that DVR 102 cannot understand into an encoding format that
DVR 102 can understand (e.g., MPEG-2). Personal computer 104 then
might instruct DVR 102 to download the DVR-understandable files
from personal computer 104 and store the files for later
presentation to a user of DVR 102.
[0035] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that illustrates the steps of a
technique for automatically transcoding content on behalf of a DVR,
according to one embodiment of the invention. The technique
described below may be performed by personal computer 104, for
example. More specifically, the technique described below may be
performed by transcoding agent 118. In various alternative
embodiments of the invention, more or fewer steps than those shown
in FIG. 2 may be performed.
[0036] In block 202, a determination is made as to whether content
has been placed in a native format folder on a computer since a
last time that such a determination was made. For example,
transcoding agent 118 may periodically and automatically determine
whether content, which was not in native format folder 116 the last
time that transcoding agent 118 made such a determination, has been
placed in native format folder 116. If content has been placed in
the native format folder since the last time, then control passes
to block 204. Otherwise, control passes back to block 202.
[0037] During this time, content, which is encoded in an encoding
format that a DVR is not configured to decode, may be placed in the
native format folder in a variety of ways. For example, another
process (e.g., a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed-subscribing
process) executing on personal computer 104 may periodically and
automatically determine whether new content has been made available
on content server 112. In response to determining that new content
has been made available on content server 112, the process may
automatically download the content over Internet 108 and LAN 106
and store the content in native format folder 116. For another
example, a user of personal computer 104 may move, to native format
folder 116, content that is stored elsewhere on personal computer
104. Regardless of the mechanism by which content becomes placed in
native format folder 116, the content might be encoded (as a result
of prior encoding) in an encoding format that DVR 102 is not
configured to decode, interpret, or display. For example, DVR 102
might be configured to decode only motion video content that has
been encoded in the MPEG-2 encoding format, but the motion video
content placed in native format folder 116 might be encoded in some
other encoding format (e.g., H.263, H.264, DivX, Real, Flash,
etc.). For another example, DVR 102 might be configured to decode
only audio content that has been encoded in the MP3 encoding
format, but the audio content placed in native format folder 116
might be encoded in some other encoding format (e.g., Waveform
Audio Format (WAV), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), etc.). For another
example, DVR 102 might be might be configured to decode only still
image content that has been encoded in the Joint Photographic
Experts Group (JPEG) encoding format, but the still image content
placed in native format folder 116 might be encoded in some other
encoding format (e.g., Graphics Interchange Format (GIF), Tagged
Image File Format (TIFF), etc.)
[0038] In block 204, a determination is made as to whether the
content that was placed in the native format folder is encoded in a
format that a DVR is configured to decode. For example, transcoding
agent 118 may determine whether the content is encoded in an
encoding format that DVR 102 is configured to decode. If the
content is encoded in a format that the DVR is not configured to
decode, then control passes to block 206. Otherwise, control passes
to block 208.
[0039] In block 206, the content is automatically transcoded into
an encoding format that the DVR is configured to decode. For
example, transcoding agent 118 may transcode the content from the
content's native encoding format into an encoding format (e.g.,
MPEG-2, MP3, or JPEG, depending on the content's media type) that
DVR 102 is configured to decode. Control passes to block 208.
[0040] In block 208, the content, which is at this point encoded in
an encoding format that the DVR is configured to decode, is moved
from the native format folder to a DVR format folder. For example,
transcoding agent 118 may automatically move the content from
native format folder 116 to DVR format folder 120. Control passes
back to block 202, in which content that has been subsequently
placed in the native format folder may be detected.
[0041] As a result of the foregoing technique, content that is
encoded in an encoding format that a DVR is capable of decoding is
placed in the DVR format folder. Such content may be automatically
gathered from various servers accessible through the Internet.
Because the content is automatically transcoded if necessary, the
type of content that can be delivered to the DVR is not limited to
content that already has been encoded in an encoding format that
the DVR is capable of decoding.
[0042] While the technique described above with reference to FIG. 2
is being performed, techniques described below with reference to
FIGS. 3A and 3B may be performed concurrently. FIGS. 3A and 3B are
flow diagrams that illustrate the steps of techniques for
automatically delivering content from a computer to a DVR that is
connected to a LAN to which the computer is connected, according to
one embodiment of the invention. The techniques described below may
be performed by personal computer 104, for example. More
specifically, one or more of the techniques described below may be
performed by personal content delivery application 114. In various
alternative embodiments of the invention, more or fewer steps than
those shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B may be performed.
[0043] Referring first to FIG. 3A, in block 302, a determination is
made as to whether content has been placed in a DVR format folder
on a computer since a last time that such a determination was made.
For example, personal content delivery application 114 may
periodically and automatically determine whether content, which was
not in the DVR format folder 120 the last time that personal
content delivery application 114 made such a determination, has
been placed in DVR format folder 120. If content has been placed in
the DVR format folder since the last time, then control passes to
block 304. Otherwise, control passes back to block 302.
[0044] During this time, DVR-decodable content may be placed in the
DVR format folder. For example, transcoding agent 118 may
periodically place such content in DVR format folder 120 as a
consequence of performing the technique described above with
reference to FIG. 2.
[0045] In block 304, an instruction is generated. In one
embodiment, of the invention, the instruction contains a URL; in
alternative embodiments of the invention, the instruction may
contain non-URL metadata that serves the same purposes that a URL
would. In one embodiment of the invention, the URL identifies (i)
the content that was placed in the DVR format folder, and (ii) the
computer on which the content is stored. For example, if the
Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with personal computer
104 is "192.168.0.1," and if the filename and directory path
associated with the content is "/TiVo/CDS/content.mpg," then
personal content delivery application may generate an instruction
containing a URL that indicates the device, path, and file
"192.168.0.1/TiVo/CDS/content.mpg."
[0046] In block 306, the instruction is sent over a LAN toward the
DVR discussed above. For example, personal content delivery
application 114 may send the instruction over LAN 106 toward DVR
102. The instruction is designed to cause DVR 102 to request the
URL-specified content from personal computer 104. Control passes
back to block 302, in which content that has been subsequently
placed in the native format folder may be detected.
[0047] In one embodiment of the invention, DVR 102 listens for and
receives instructions of this kind from both content delivery
service endpoint 110 and from personal content delivery application
114. Each instruction identifies, via a URL, content (e.g.,
metadata describing the characteristics of the content, such as
title, category, whether a user specifically requested the content
or whether a DVR or service requested the content, etc.), and a
source from which that content may be obtained. In response to
receiving such instructions, DVR 102 places the instructions in
queue 122 (e.g., at the back of queue 122). One by one, DVR 102
removes the instructions from the front of queue 122. For each such
instruction, DVR 102 generates a request, such as an HTTP request,
that is destined for the content source (e.g., personal computer
104 or content server 112) identified in that instruction. Each
such request identifies the content that is identified in the URL
of the corresponding instruction. DVR 102 sends the requests toward
the appropriate content sources via LAN 106 and/or Internet
108.
[0048] While the technique described above with reference to FIG.
3A is being performed, a technique described below with reference
to FIG. 3B may be performed concurrently. Referring now to FIG. 3B,
in block 308, a DVR-originated request for the content is received
from the LAN. For example, an HTTP server (which may or may not be
implemented in personal content delivery application 114) executing
on personal computer 104 may receive, through LAN 106, an HTTP
request that DVR 102 sent in response to an instruction as
described above. The HTTP request may identify content that is
contained in DVR format folder 120, for example.
[0049] In block 310, in response to receiving the DVR-originated
request, the content specified in the request is sent over the LAN
toward the DVR. For example, the HTTP server executing on personal
computer 104 may generate an HTTP response that contains the
content specified in the DVR-originated request. Typically, the
content requested in the HTTP request will be located in DVR format
folder 120. The HTTP server may send the HTTP response over LAN 106
toward DVR 102. Control passes back to block 308, in which another
DVR-originated request may be detected.
[0050] In one embodiment of the invention, DVR 102 listens for and
receives HTTP responses from both content server 112 and from
personal computer 104. In response to receiving such HTTP
responses, DVR 102 stores, on a storage device of DVR 102, such as
a hard drive or memory device, the content that is contained in the
HTTP responses. DVR 102 may indicate, through a user interface that
DVR 102 may display on a television set, that the content is
available for viewing or playback at a user's leisure. DVR 102 may
play the content on the television set in response to the user's
command.
[0051] According to one embodiment of the invention, DVR 102
accepts instructions of the type described above only from an
"approved" list of personal computers and/or content delivery
service endpoints, so that DVR 102 cannot be "spammed" with
unwanted content. In one embodiment of the invention, personal
content delivery application 114 broadcasts its existence over LAN
106, and DVR 102 receives such a broadcast and responsively adds
personal computer 104 to the list of sources from which DVR 102
will accept instructions of the type described above. Since
personal content delivery application 114 can only broadcast over a
LAN, DVR 102 may be confident that personal computer 104 is
connected to LAN 106, and therefore is probably an appropriate
source from which to accept instructions that cause DVR 102 to
request content. Techniques for secure communication and
transportation of information between approved devices are
described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/220,356,
10/741,596, and 11/285,416, all of which are incorporated by
reference herein.
[0052] In one embodiment of the invention, DVR 102 is configured in
such a manner that a user of DVR 102 can instruct DVR 102 (e.g.,
using a remote control in conjunction with a user interface) to
request, proactively, a list of content that is stored in DVR
format folder 120, and to request and download user-selected
content that is stored in DVR format folder 120. Additionally or
alternatively, DVR 102 may request and download selected content
from DVR format folder 120 without the intervention of a user and
without receiving any instruction from personal content delivery
application 114. For example, DVR 102 may periodically and
automatically request and download content that is contained in DVR
format folder 120 if that content has not already been
downloaded.
[0053] According to one embodiment of the invention, personal
content delivery application 114 may be used to transfer content,
which is stored on a first DVR connected (physically or wirelessly)
to LAN 106, to a second DVR that is also connected (physically or
wirelessly) to LAN 106. Personal content delivery application 114
may be configured to periodically and automatically determine
whether any content that satisfies specified criteria (e.g., is not
already stored on the second DVR) is stored on the first DVR. For
each such content item, personal content delivery application 114
may instruct the first DVR to send that content item toward
personal computer 104. Personal computer 104 may receive such
content items from the first DVR and store them in a native format
folder that is associated with the second DVR. For each content
item in that native format folder, transcoding agent 118 may
transcode, into an encoding format that the second DVR can decode,
content items that are not already in an encoding format that the
second DVR can decode. Transcoding agent may move the content items
from the native item folder associated with the second DVR to a DVR
format folder associated with the second DVR. Personal content
delivery application 114 may send, to the second DVR, instructions
which cause the second DVR to request and download, from personal
computer 104, content items that are stored in the DVR format
folder associated with the second DVR. Additionally or
alternatively, instead of being sent to a second DVR, content items
and/or such instructions may be sent as described above to a mobile
device such as a cell phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a
portable gaming device, etc. Thus, in one embodiment of the
invention, content items that are stored on a DVR are automatically
transcoded (potentially at a device other than the DVR) into an
encoding format that a mobile device is configured to decode, and
then transferred to that mobile device. The content items and/or
instructions may be sent using any kind of communication medium,
such as the Internet, a LAN, a data link (e.g., serial or USB) from
the computer to the mobile device, etc.
[0054] In one embodiment of the invention, the content may comprise
a video file, an audio (e.g., music) file, an image (e.g., picture)
file, or a file that contains both a video/audio/image file and
metadata about the video/audio/image file. Thus, in one embodiment
of the invention, whenever content is communicated between personal
computer 104, DVR 102, and/or other entities, any metadata
contained in that content is communicated with the content. Such
metadata may comprise information that DVR 102 may display on a
television screen in response to a user's request, for example.
[0055] According to one embodiment of the invention, content is
transmitted over LAN 106 in encrypted form to maintain security.
Transcoding agent 118 may decrypt content that has been encrypted
with a first form of encryption, transcode the decrypted content
into a different encoding format, and then encrypt the content with
a second form of encryption. The second form of encryption may
differ from the first form of encryption.
[0056] Although certain embodiments of the invention have been
described above with reference to motion video content (e.g.,
movies), at least some embodiments of the invention may be used to
automatically transcode content of other types, such as audio
(e.g., music) content, image (e.g., picture) content, and/or other
kinds of content that are encoded according to some encoding
format.
4.0 On-Demand Transcoding
[0057] According to one embodiment of the invention, content is
obtained from a remote source and transcoded "on demand," at the
time that a user expresses interest in the content, and not
necessarily sooner than that time. For example, personal computer
104 might store a URL that refers to some content that is not yet
stored on personal computer 104. For example, personal computer 104
might store a URL that refers to a video file that is stored at
content server 112. However, that video file might not yet be
stored on personal computer 104. In response to receiving user
input, DVR 102 may fetch, from personal computer 104, a list of
available content--some of which might not yet reside on personal
computer 104. DVR 102 may present the list, including the URL or
some title that is associated with the URL, to the user. Using a
remote control, the user may select, from the list, a content item
in which the viewer is interested. Under such circumstances, DVR
102 would request the selected content from personal computer
104.
[0058] In the case that the selected content item corresponds to
the URL of the content that is not yet stored on personal computer
104, personal computer 104 may provide, to DVR 102, a local URL
(different from the URL of the content on content server 112) that
refers to a file on personal computer 104. Personal computer 104
may instruct DVR 102 to obtain and play content that is associated
with the local URL. At approximately the same time, personal
computer 104 may begin to download the content from content server
112. The content may be transcoded at personal computer 104 as the
content is downloaded. The transcoded content may be stored in the
file to which the local URL refers. As the transcoded content is
being stored in this file, DVR 102 may obtain the transcoded
content from the file in the form of stream. DVR 102 may play the
streaming content to the user as DVR 102 is obtaining the content,
or DVR 102 may store the content for later viewing.
[0059] In one embodiment of the invention, a service agent resides
on personal computer 104. The service agent maintains a cache of
already transcoded content. The service agent may receive, from a
web browser or from an application executing on DVR 102, a request
for content which might or might not already have been transcoded
and stored in the cache. In response to receiving such a request,
the service agent determines whether the requested content already
has been transcoded and stored in the cache. If the service agent
determines that the requested content already has been transcoded
and stored in the cache, then the service agent instructs DVR 102
to commence downloading the transcoded content from the cache.
Alternatively, if the service agent determines that the requested
content has not yet been transcoded and stored in the cache, then
the service agent transcodes the content, stores the transcoded
content in the cache, and then instructs DVR 102 to commence
downloading the transcoded content. As a result, a given content
item does not need to be transcoded more than once, even if
multiple requests for the same content item (e.g., from different
DVRs) are received.
[0060] In one embodiment of the invention, if requested content is
not stored on personal computer 104, then the service agent begins
to download and transcode the requested content from the remote
source at which the requested content is stored (e.g., content
server 112). As the service agent downloads and transcodes the
content, the service agent may store the transcoded content into
the cache and/or send the transcoded content to DVR 102 in the form
of a stream that DVR 102 can play as DVR 102 receives the stream
(i.e., even before the whole content item has been received).
[0061] In one embodiment of the invention, web pages that are
stored at content server 112, and which are accessible through a
web browser that executed on personal computer 104, contain
embedded custom tags. The owners or operators of content server 112
may agree to place the custom tags in the web pages as part of a
negotiated deal with the distributor of DVR 102, for example. When
a user directed the web browser to a web page that contains such a
custom tag, the browser's receipt of the custom tag triggers the
web browser to begin executing a browser plug-in applet. Through a
transaction with content server 112, the browser plug-in applet
obtains a URL that refers to content to which the web page
pertains. The URL might be obfuscated so that only the browser
plug-in applet can obtain the URL. The browser plug-in applet may
then download the content at the URL from content server 112 and
store the downloaded content into native format folder 116, after
which the content may be transcoded and used as described
above.
[0062] Alternatively, the browser plug-in applet may simply store
the URL on personal computer 104 without downloading the content at
that time. The URL may be stored such that when DVR 102 queries
personal computer 104 for available content, the URL is included in
the list of available content (even though the content is not yet
stored at personal computer 104). At a later time, a service agent
on personal computer 104 may download and transcode the content to
which the URL refers "on demand," using the "on-demand" techniques
described above.
5.0 Example DVR
[0063] FIG. 5 is a block diagram that shows an example of the
internal structure and operation of a DVR, according to an
embodiment of the invention. An example of the internal structure
and operation of a DVR is further described in U.S. Pat. No.
6,233,389, which is incorporated by reference as though originally
disclosed herein.
[0064] The DVR shown in FIG. 5 comprises an input module 501, a
media switch 502, and an output module 503. Input module 501
receives television (TV) input streams in any of a variety of
forms. For example, a TV input stream received by input module 501
may take the form of a National Television Standards Committee
(NTSC) compliant signal or a PAL compliant broadcast signal. For
another example, a TV input stream received by input module 501 may
take a digital form such as a Digital Satellite System (DSS)
compliant signal, a Digital Broadcast Services (DBS) compliant
signal, or an Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC)
compliant signal. DBS, DSS, and ATSC are based on standards called
Moving Pictures Experts Group 2 (MPEG-2) and MPEG-2 Transport.
MPEG-2 Transport is a standard for formatting the digital data
stream from the TV source transmitter so that a TV receiver can
disassemble the input stream to find programs in the multiplexed
signal. According to one embodiment of the invention, input module
501 produces MPEG streams. According to another embodiment of the
invention, input module 501 produces streams that are encoded using
a different codec.
[0065] An MPEG-2 transport multiplex supports multiple programs in
the same broadcast channel, which multiple video and audio feeds
and private data. Input module 501 tunes the channel to a
particular program, extracts a specified MPEG stream from the
channel, and feeds the MPEG stream to the rest of the system.
Analog TV signals are encoded into a similar MPEG format using
separate video and audio encoders, such that the remainder of the
system is unaware of how the signal was obtained. Information may
be modulated into the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of the
analog TV signal in a number of standard ways; for example, the
North American Broadcast Teletext Standard (NABTS) may be used to
modulate information onto certain lines of an NTSC signal, which
the FCC mandates the use of a certain other line for closed caption
(CC) and extended data services (EDS). Such signals are decoded by
input module 501 and passed to the other modules as if the signals
had been delivered via an MPEG-2 private data channel.
[0066] Media switch 502 mediates between a microprocessor CPU 506,
a hard disk or storage device 505, and memory 504. Input streams
are converted to an MPEG stream and sent to media switch 502. Media
switch 502 buffers the MPEG stream into memory 504. Media switch
502 then performs two operations if the DVR user is watching
real-time TV: media switch 502 sends the MPEG stream to output
module 503 and simultaneously writes the MPEG stream to hard disk
or storage device 505.
[0067] Output module 503 receives MPEG streams as input and
produces an analog TV signal according to NTSC, PAL, or other TV
standards. Output module 503 comprises an MPEG decoder, an
on-screen display (OSD) generator, an analog TV encoder, and audio
logic. The OSD generator allows the program logic to supply images
which may be overlaid on top of the resulting TV analog signal.
Additionally, output module 503 can modulate information supplied
by the program logic onto the VBI of the output signal in a number
of standard formats, including NABTS, CC, and EDS.
6.0 Hardware Overview
[0068] FIG. 4 is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system
400 upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented.
Computer system 400 includes a bus 402 or other communication
mechanism for communicating information, and a processor 404
coupled with bus 402 for processing information. Computer system
400 also includes a main memory 406, such as a random access memory
(RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to bus 402 for
storing information and instructions to be executed by processor
404. Main memory 406 also may be used for storing temporary
variables or other intermediate information during execution of
instructions to be executed by processor 404. Computer system 400
further includes a read only memory (ROM) 408 or other static
storage device coupled to bus 402 for storing static information
and instructions for processor 404. A storage device 410, such as a
magnetic disk or optical disk, is provided and coupled to bus 402
for storing information and instructions.
[0069] Computer system 400 may be coupled via bus 402 to a display
412, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), for displaying information
to a computer user. An input device 414, including alphanumeric and
other keys, is coupled to bus 402 for communicating information and
command selections to processor 404. Another type of user input
device is cursor control 416, such as a mouse, a trackball, or
cursor direction keys for communicating direction information and
command selections to processor 404 and for controlling cursor
movement on display 412. This input device typically has two
degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second
axis (e.g., y), that allows the device to specify positions in a
plane.
[0070] The invention is related to the use of computer system 400
for implementing the techniques described herein. According to one
embodiment of the invention, those techniques are performed by
computer system 400 in response to processor 404 executing one or
more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory
406. Such instructions may be read into main memory 406 from
another machine-readable medium, such as storage device 410.
Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in main memory
406 causes processor 404 to perform the process steps described
herein. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be
used in place of or in combination with software instructions to
implement the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not
limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and
software.
[0071] The term "machine-readable medium" as used herein refers to
any medium that participates in providing data that causes a
machine to operation in a specific fashion. In an embodiment
implemented using computer system 400, various machine-readable
media are involved, for example, in providing instructions to
processor 404 for execution. Such a medium may take many forms,
including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media,
and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example,
optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device 410. Volatile
media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory 406.
Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber
optics, including the wires that comprise bus 402. Transmission
media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as
those generated during radio-wave and infra-red data
communications. All such media must be tangible to enable the
instructions carried by the media to be detected by a physical
mechanism that reads the instructions into a machine.
[0072] Common forms of machine-readable media include, for example,
a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any
other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical medium,
punchcards, papertape, any other physical medium with patterns of
holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory
chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any
other medium from which a computer can read.
[0073] Various forms of machine-readable media may be involved in
carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to
processor 404 for execution. For example, the instructions may
initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote computer. The
remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memory
and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A
modem local to computer system 400 can receive the data on the
telephone line and use an infra-red transmitter to convert the data
to an infra-red signal. An infra-red detector can receive the data
carried in the infra-red signal and appropriate circuitry can place
the data on bus 402. Bus 402 carries the data to main memory 406,
from which processor 404 retrieves and executes the instructions.
The instructions received by main memory 406 may optionally be
stored on storage device 410 either before or after execution by
processor 404.
[0074] Computer system 400 also includes a communication interface
418 coupled to bus 402. Communication interface 418 provides a
two-way data communication coupling to a network link 420 that is
connected to a local network 422. For example, communication
interface 418 may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN)
card or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a
corresponding type of telephone line. As another example,
communication interface 418 may be a local area network (LAN) card
to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN.
Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation,
communication interface 418 sends and receives electrical,
electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams
representing various types of information.
[0075] Network link 420 typically provides data communication
through one or more networks to other data devices. For example,
network link 420 may provide a connection through local network 422
to a host computer 424 or to data equipment operated by an Internet
Service Provider (ISP) 426. ISP 426 in turn provides data
communication services through the world wide packet data
communication network now commonly referred to as the "Internet"
428. Local network 422 and Internet 428 both use electrical,
electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams.
The signals through the various networks and the signals on network
link 420 and through communication interface 418, which carry the
digital data to and from computer system 400, are exemplary forms
of carrier waves transporting the information.
[0076] Computer system 400 can send messages and receive data,
including program code, through the network(s), network link 420
and communication interface 418. In the Internet example, a server
430 might transmit a requested code for an application program
through Internet 428, ISP 426, local network 422 and communication
interface 418.
[0077] The received code may be executed by processor 404 as it is
received, and/or stored in storage device 410, or other
non-volatile storage for later execution. In this manner, computer
system 400 may obtain application code in the form of a carrier
wave.
[0078] In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the invention
have been described with reference to numerous specific details
that may vary from implementation to implementation. Thus, the sole
and exclusive indicator of what is the invention, and is intended
by the applicants to be the invention, is the set of claims that
issue from this application, in the specific form in which such
claims issue, including any subsequent correction. Any definitions
expressly set forth herein for terms contained in such claims shall
govern the meaning of such terms as used in the claims. Hence, no
limitation, element, property, feature, advantage or attribute that
is not expressly recited in a claim should limit the scope of such
claim in any way. The specification and drawings are, accordingly,
to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive
sense.
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